, Dec. 3 -- Businessmen have raised the price of edible oil in the market without obtaining approval from the Ministry of Commerce, increasing the price of bottled soybean oil by Tk 9 per litre - a move that will face action, Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin said on Wednesday.

During visits to several markets in the city, five-litre bottles of soybean oil were found selling at Tk 965, up from Tk 922 just days ago.

Aseem Halder, a grocer at Uttar Badda Kacha Bazar, said, "Companies have increased soybean oil prices by Tk 9 per litre. What was Tk 189 per litre is now Tk 198. Loose soybean oil has also gone up by Tk 5 per litre."

Asked whether the ministry approved the hike, the adviser said traders raised prices without notifying the gov...